Customer Reviews
Readable, but only just - By: D. Lowther, 25 Apr 2008 
The Edwardian era was one of the most fascinating periodsin British history, an age of superlatives. 'Society' was at its glittering zenith & politics at its most contentious. Even the politicians were of a calibre almost incredible to jaded modern eyes. Yet the dazzle of diamonds & thunder of statesmen obscured a wider world of grinding poverty; the living conditions of the poor were so squalid as to resemble a grotesque parody of the bleakest Dickensian nightmare.
To be fair to Hattersley he deals with this latter, unsavoury aspect of Edwardian lifein some detail. Equally, his brief character sketches are pithy & often amusing. However, his references to some notable figures (often Conservative politicians) are jarringly & curiously venomous. But even this good work is ruined by the same careless disregard for accury with which he blights the rest of the book. By the time I'd reached the end I was left wondering if the author derived some level of sadistic pleasurein frustrating his readers. Spelling & grammatical errors litter great swathes of the book. The question arises, "Did anyone proof-read this?" The historical errors are no less glaring, but they have been detailedin another review. The impression given is of a man writingin a hurry & the result does Hattersley's reputation as an author no favours.
Wide ranging descriptive account of Edwardian Britain - By: M. S. Ridgeway, 13 Jan 2008 
This descriptive account of Edwardian life left me feeling a bit uncertain as to whether, with a few minor exceptions, such events were the result of `Edwardian initiatives' or merely legacies from Victoria's Reign.
Contrary to some of the `professional' reviews, I thought the book lacked Roy Hattersley's usual humour &in my opinion, & this is just my opinion, some of the factual areas' touched on by Hattersley are debatable - I'm making particular reference to the Scott v Shackleton juncture.
As this book isin no way an analysis of the Edwardian period I felt the narrative would have faired better had the author injected his usual humor & levity, without which, for me, the book lacks personality.
Having said this, the book still reads well & if you feel there is a knowledge gapin your twentieth-century `cerebral archive', then this book would be an excellent starting point & an admirable introduction.
So many errors - By: Ms. M. Kendall, 20 Nov 2007 
Having got to only p. 218 of the hardback I am appalled at the sloppy errors I have come across so far - on subjects I know a bit about. On p. 218 the author says Emily Wilding Davison set fire to three pillar boxes & locked herself to the statue of Lord Falkland - the latter has never been linked to Davison, who was probablyin prison at the time (April 1909) & as regards the former, she put incendiary materialin the pillar boxes but didn't set fire to them. On p.213 Herbert Gladstone was NOTin Trafalgar Square on that date. P.207 - this is the first source I know of that mentions Churchill was therein 1905 - looks like a bit of stretching the truth as regards what actually happenedin the Free Trade Hall - I suggest the author look at other sources. P.200 Daughter Christabel did NOT return to England with her mother. P. 169 Margot Asquith did NOT go on what was NOT a cruise with the PM. This is just so sloppy, made worse by the author's snide remarks about these people. He has been lackadaisical with his research & the author & publisher should be ashamed.
A bit dry but good history of the Edwardians - By: Mr. P. J. Brown, 23 Oct 2005 I was surprised by this book. Roy Hattersley is a good writer & his other books showed his passion for the subjects. Though well laid out & comprehensive, the writing is rather dry & full of facts & obscure parliamentary debates that make it almost a text bookin places. But his main thesis that the Edwardian period was a time of often immense change comes through. This book perhaps suffers from over research but for anyone who wants a good history of the period, this book covers all the bases.
A long and leisurely afternoon? - By: , 22 Nov 2004 
'The Edwardians' brings the period blazing to life. Roy Hattersley forcefully argues that this was a time of radical reform & brewing change, & his writing makes it a pleasure to read & learn. The combination of a clear, authoritative style & an impressive level of detail means you can dipin & out of the period at will. The chapters can be readin order, but equally they can stand alone as well-researched explorations of specific subjects. I found myself going back & rereading sections, watching the development of key figures such as Churchill as they emergein different chapters.
Like all the best non-fiction, this book made me reconsider even areas which I thought I knew well. For example, the characterisation of the Pankhursts showed me another side to the one which is usually portrayed. So successful is 'The Edwardians'in depicting these very human characters that I almost lost sympathy for their cause. Like their opponents I became frustrated with their side-stepping tactics & off-putting behaviour, butin the end the honesty about their shortcomings serves to put their successesin relief.
The well-known stories of Scott & Shackleton are also made fresh by an emphasis on the flawed preparation & feelings of animosity that preceded their expeditions. My respect for Scott was not diminished when I read about how bitter he was at Shackleton's success. These character flaws are outweighed by his determination & the motives behind his decisions. Before reading 'The Edwardians' I was not aware that Scott's determination not to use dogs to aid the expedition was based on his desire to celebrate human capabilities. My increased understanding of his aims only made the failure to reach the pole, or to survive at all, seem more moving & more dignified.
As a graduatein English literature, I was particularly looking out for material bringing to life the writers of the day. I was not disappointed. The mention of Maude Gonne's conviction that she would give birth to a reincarnated version of her deceased child made me want to take Yeats down from the shelf. The discussion of the theatre of ideas, exposing me to playwrights I now intend to seek out, is greatly enhanced by a fascinating discussion of the censorship of the period.
If you have any interestin pre-war history, feminism, literature or the forces of progress that shaped modern Britain, you cannot miss this book. It will challenge the way you look at an entire period which, as Hattersley writes, is often dismissed as 'a long & leisurely afternoon'.
